25 May 2018

Respecting Courage on the 20^thAnniversary of National Sorry Day 

The NSW Aboriginal Land Council (NSWALC) pays respect to the courage and resilience of the Stolen Generations on the 20^th  anniversary of National Sorry Day.

Sorry Day was first held on May 26 1998, a year after the release of the "Bringing Them Home" report.

Bringing Them Home comprehensively documented the mistreatment of Australia's First Peoples by consecutive Federal and State governments from the 19^th  century to the 1970s.

NSWALC Chair Roy Ah-See said Sorry Day is a time to reflect on the shameful practice of race-based child removal.

"Under this cruel policy, the people we now recognise as the Stolen Generations lost their childhood, language and culture.

"The tens of thousands of members of the Stolen Generations are survivors and Australian society must support them on their long journey of healing".

Cr Ah-See also commended a 2018 commitment by the NSW Government to personally apologise to survivors who received compensation from the Stolen Generations Reparations Scheme, and who also wanted an additional personalised apology.

"I am pleased to see the NSW Government is acknowledging the inter-generational harm of past removal policies, and is addressing this harm personally and financially through its Reparations Scheme.

"And for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and the broader Australian community, National Sorry Day is our opportunity to show respect for the courage and resilience of the Stolen Generations and their families", he said.

Media contact: Michelle Aleksandrovics 0429 585 291